DHS Electric Vehicle Program Accelerates with Debut of First Fully
Electric Law Enforcement Vehicle
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) became
the first federal agency to debut a battery electric vehicle (EV)
fitted for performing law enforcement functions at the Federal Law
Enforcement Training Centers' Office of Cheltenham Operations. The
Ford Mustang Mach-E is the first of a variety of EVs DHS plans to
field across its varied law enforcement missions throughout the
homeland.
"DHS is leading the charge among federal agencies to transition its
fleet vehicles from internal combustion engines to zero-emission
electric vehicles. As the Nation's third largest federal agency and
largest law enforcement agency, DHS has an inventory of more than
50,000 vehicles, with law enforcement vehicles making up 60 percent of
its fleet," said Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John Tien. "DHS
is proud to be the first Federal agency to upfit a battery electric
vehicle for law enforcement use. As we ramp up EV adoption, we are
excited to see how this and other EVs perform for our mission."
"DHS is proactively seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, EVs
have the potential to significantly improve federal fleet efficiency
and reduce vehicle operation and maintenance costs," said Acting Under
Secretary for Management R. D. "Tex" Alles. "DHS is also looking to
create climate-resilient facilities and infrastructure, and to
continue transitioning the DHS vehicle fleet towards electrification
in the years to come."
In April 2022, DHS completed an upfit of a Ford Mustang Mach-E as a
law enforcement vehicle with lights and sirens in accordance Federal
Protective Service standards. The Mustang Mach-E is undergoing
high-threshold testing by the Federal Protective Service to ensure it
will meet the demands required of DHS law enforcement missions. The
vehicle must be able to handle a broad spectrum of the stresses
including, high speeds, maneuverability both on- and off-road,
durability, endurance, and technical specifications. FPS is conducting
controlled performance benchmarking which includes building on
existing performance data, and an operational assessment of the
vehicle through real-world employment by Law Enforcement Officers
during their daily routines. Concurrently, FPS is conducting
cybersecurity assessments of the vehicle that will inform DHS of
potential threats, vulnerabilities, and risks associated with the
introduction of EVs into the fleet.
The DHS Climate Action Plan, which was approved by the Secretary in
September 2021, establishes a longer-range outlook that emphasizes
sustainability, energy and water resilience, and fleet
electrification. An aspect of the plan's five priority actions
includes incorporating climate adaptation planning and processes into
homeland security mission areas, including reviewing current budget
planning policies, to assess whether climate change considerations are
appropriately incorporated.
Visit DHS Actions: Climate Change for more information on the
Department's effort to address the climate crisis.
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John Tien attended the DHS debut
of a battery electric vehicle fitted for performing law enforcement
functions
DHS debuts a battery electric vehicle (EV) fitted for performing law
enforcement functions at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers'
Cheltenham facility in Maryland.
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